Pakistan players could pull out of T20 Global League

JOHANNESBURG - Cricket South Africa was still awaiting notice from its counterparts in Pakistan about the participation of Pakistani players in the T20 Global League, after it emerged that the Pakistan Cricket Board could demand that those players participate in Pakistan’s domestic T20 competition, which overlaps with CSA’s much-hyped tournament.

The T20 GL is set to start on November 3, with Pakistan’s tournament, the National T20 Cup scheduled to kick off the next day. On Thursday reports from Pakistan indicated that the PCB was considering calling back all its players, because it felt that its tournament held precedence over other T20 leagues.

“I can say that the National T20 Cup will take precedence over other leagues,” Amjad Hussain, the PCB’s director for media and co-ordination, said.

CSA refused to offer official comment on Thursday, though it is understood they are awaiting clarity from the PCB about the issue. The Pakistan tournament, was initially scheduled to be played at the end of August, but was subsequently moved to November. According to cricinfo.com, sponsorship rights for the tournament have been sold and it has to be played before the end of the year.

Wahab Riaz, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Nawaz, Fakhar Zaman, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Anwar Ali, Junaid Khan and Imad Wasim were all signed by T20 Global League franchises - two of which - the Benoni Zalmi (three Pakistani players) and the Durban Qalandars (which signed two) - have direct tie ins with teams in the Pakistan competition. Should none of those players be available, the T20 GL rules will allow for players, who went undrafted at the recent player draft, to be picked up by franchises.

Further controversy has emerged following the recent player draft, with up to half a dozen players understood to have put themselves forward for contracts in both the T20 Global League and the Bangladesh T20 tournament, which runs from 2 November to 10 December. Among those players is Junaid, who was picked up by the Nelson Mandela Bay Stars but already has a contract with the Kulna Titans in the Bangladesh Premier League.

Junaid, it was reported, is unaware how his name got into the T20 GL draft. It is believed that CSA did attempt to warn owners of T20 GL teams about players being “booked” for drafts in separate T20 competitions and the possibility that those players could be forced to withdraw.

All players who entered their names in the draft for the T20 GL signed binding agreements that they would participate only in the T20 GL at that time.